Want To Skip Your Period? Here’s How To Do It

Your period can be super annoying. Not only do you have to deal with PMS, cramps, headaches or other side effects, but it also always seems to come at the worst times. I don’t know about you guys, but every time I plan some sort of beach vacation, my period seems to come along also. Have you ever had the urge to skip your period entirely? Yeah, I thought so.

The good news is that skipping your period is totally possible if you take birth control pills. We’ll get to the bad news later (hint: it’s not that bad). In fact, recent research has found that more and more women have been using their birth control pills in a way that allows them to skip their period – and it really may not be as bad for you as some of us have thought.

Researchers found that the majority of women who skip their periods do so for convenience reasons. Getting your period is nothing to be ashamed of, but let’s be real: doing without one every month would make life a whole lot easier, wouldn’t it? You wouldn’t have to spend money on tampons, deal with mood swings that alienate everyone around you or fight cramps and chocolate cravings. And with the summertime and beach season coming up, it sounds even more tempting. Who likes having their period while they’re laying in public wearing a tiny bathing suit? No one, that’s who.

So, how do you skip your period? First of all, you need to be using birth control pills – that’s the only way you’re going to get rid of that time of the month. Then the rest of the process is super easy.

As you probably know, birth control packs come with four weeks worth of pills. The majority of birth control pills include three weeks worth of actual pills (the ones that are preventing you from getting pregnant). The last week, the fourth week, is comprised of placebo pills (but keep in mind that not all pills are made the same. The birth control pills I take, for example, only have five days worth of placebo pills. It might be more difficult to skip like this, since the actual pills end during the middle of the week). They do nothing to you and are basically there just so that you don’t get out of the rhythm of taking a pill at the same time every day. The week you take placebo pills is the week you should be getting your period.

If you decide you want to skip your period one month, all you need to do is skip over that week of placebo pills. In other words, finish off the first three weeks of real pills and instead of taking the first placebo pill, go right into next month’s pack and start with the Day 1 pill. Bam, you just skipped your period!

Sounds super easy, right? Keep in mind, though, that some girls experience spotting during the time they should be getting their period – but this is something that your body will adjust to over time. It’s also important to note that if you’re skipping your period every single month, it’s going to be harder to tell if you accidentally get pregnant.

I know what you’re thinking: how exactly can this be safe? You’re basically going against nature to prevent your period from happening… and shouldn’t you be getting your period every month? According to MayoClinic, if your doctor says you can take birth control pills, it’s most likely fine for you to also use them to skip your periods. However, it’s important to keep in mind that while a lot of doctors say this is perfectly safe, a lot of other doctors don’t recommend it.

Skipping your period using birth control pills can come in handy if you’re doing it once in a while. For example, if you have a vacay planned and you don’t want to deal with your period that week, this is a good solution. If you want to skip your period all the time, you should consider maybe switching to another birth control pill – there are some out there where you only get your period about three times a year. Another option is using an IUD – a Gurl staffer who uses an IUD hasn’t had her period in over a year.

The bottom line is this: skipping your period is possible and it looks like it’s pretty safe. However, I would still suggest talking to a doctor before you do it. Your doctor knows your body better than I do and can tell you honestly if she/he thinks it’s a bad idea.

Have you ever used your birth control pills to skip your period? Would you ever do it? Do you mind getting your period? Would you consider using an IUD? Tell me in the comments.

I was just prescribed Junel Fe 1.5/30. Some of my doctors think I have endometriosis, and since a laparoscopy is the only way to be for sure, they’ve decided to treat the symptoms for now. My gynecologist told me to just skip the placebos and jump to the next pack so I’m not in pain (I get upset stomach, digestive issues, and sever lower back pain). I haven’t started yet, but I’d rather have a little spotting for a few months than having a raging bad period!

Lillie

So I’m not on birth control right now but have birth control pills and need to skip my period next week. Should I start taking them now to avoid it?

TJ

I have never done this, but I am going on a beach vacation for 1 week and I do NOT want to have my period while I am away! I am pretty excited. I won’t make a habit of it because I don’t usually mind getting my period, but it would be really inconvenient if I couldn’t skip it this month! I was reading up to make sure I should start BEFORE the placebo pills … so thanks for the info!

Lauren

I want to skip a month for my period, but will it come as scheduled the next month or will it be a week early or a week late?

Frankie

Hi I have skipped mine in the past and never had trouble, I haven’t been on bc pills for over 5 years, my partner started working away so he was due home when my period was due so I got bc pills just to try skip this period, I took two the day it started as I was earlier then expected then two the next day and then 1 the 3rd day to realise it wasn’t going to work I only usually have my period for 4-5 days 6 max, I’m now on day 7 and doesn’t seem close to the end. Do I just wait it out or start taking the pill again thnx

Meaghan

Ok so I just skipped my period for the first time last month and now I have stopped my pills for this months period. I am still waiting for it but it should technically be here by now since it’s been 4 days. Is this just because my body’s getting used to this change for the first time or? And should I continue with my new pack in 3 days as usual?
Please help! Thanks in advance!!!

Flora

Pls my period is supposed to start in 3days time. I have a date this weekend, can brth control pills help me to skip it if I start taking it today? Pls I need your answer urgently. Please

Taylor

I havent had my period in over 3 years and i have never had any issues, and before i got on bc i was having cramps so bad i coudnt get out of bed and would end up screaming and crying the whole time. My gynecologist is a wonderful person and she told me it’s perfectly fine to skip the last week and not get your period. I can live my life now without debilitating pain.

Soon to be Mrs T

I’m getting married the end of Feb and I realized my cycle will be on the week of my wedding and honeymoon. So I’m gonna try this, this month so my cycle will come on the week before my wedding and honeymoon.

Amelia

I am going to try this because for about a week I am going to be out of town and during that week I am supposed I be on my period an I’d rather not deal with it during that week. Now I obviously know there will be some bad side effects and some complications but I will only do this once I don’t usually mindmy period but this week is super important to me and I don’t want my period to ruin it. I’m sorry if anyone disagrees but if like to give it a try

Arizona

My best friend is actually doing it and its working for her. I couldnt do it because I wanna know if im pregnant or not. But shes actually skipping hers every month

Cw

No. NO. This is NOT safe. This is terrible advice. If you skip your period, all of the blood is just stored up, because of the whole “shedding your uterine lining” thing. Your birth control pills have set you up to release all of that blood, and if you just skip over it, the next month, you are going to have to shed two uterine linings, which is not healthy at all. And you are HUGELY increasing your risk of uterine cancer. Gurls, please do not do this. It is not healthy at all and should not be advised by a website that has such a great influence over teens. We have our periods for a reason, you know. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just a way of your body telling you you aren’t pregnant.

Johanna E

Cw you’re completely right, and I would know this, because I personally know the effects of not having a period. My guess is I have some sort of hormone issue or disorder, but no doctor listens to me about it. Without a pill, I have mine only once a year, sometimes twice. My period has to be forced every 2 months by said pill, and it makes me bleed so much that I have had heat flashes and have literally PASSED OUT in the middle of the hallway before. Not only that but I’m scared because I’m at an extremely high risk for uterine cancer. I know it sounds crazy but I WISH I had my period every month, because that would make things a heck of a lot easier, as opposed to constantly having to go to the doctor and spend money on pills in order to maintain a healthy regularity in my body. This is an absolutely awful idea, and you are right, this should never be advised by anyone.

ff

You’ve never taken a reproductive biology course have you? Follicle stimulation that leads to ovulation is suppressed by the presence of estrogen in the pill (estrogen stimulates the pituitary gland to produce a hormone (GnRH) that prevents ovulation. Pills usually also have progesterone, which causes the lining of the endometrium (the uterine lining that is then shed during menstruation) to be less thick- this way a fertilized egg can’t implant, sometimes the endometrium is so thin it doesn’t need to be shed. Therefore you don’t build up uterine lining. You don’t shed two.
And believe it or not, scientists aren’t sure why people have periods- a lot of animals dont actually bleed out of their sexual orifices for reproductive reasons. The current conjecture is that humans have periods because in caveman times, leaving your uterus blood all over the place indicated your fertility. So current belief that it is a way of telling other people that you aren’t pregnant but you could be if they had sex with you.

Jasmine

You do realize that birth control prevents the uterus lining from building up in the first place?

Marie

I’m sorry, but you are totally wrong.. thats not how it works. By taking the pill your body doesnt develop a whole new uterine lining, therefore it is not needed to be shed. Granted everyone is different and perhaps this was ineffective for you, but for the majority of the female population skipping periods is totally healthy and sometimes even prescribed in cases of anemia.

Sasha P.

In HighSchool I had my period every homecoming and Junior AND senior prom, even though they were almost never the same date! I wanted to go on the pill, but my mother said that the side effects aren’t worth it.

Grace

I was put on Deprovera shots last year. These are even more convenient than pills because I only have to take the shot every three months, and it eliminates the risk of missing a pill one day.
It usually takes one or two shots for the period to completely go away, but until it does it’s really light (and mine are usually HEAVY). It doesn’t hurt either, the needle is pretty regular-sized and it only hurts for about a day afterwards because of how thick the medicine is. It’s just like getting a flu shot.
I highly recommend it.

Kat

I have an IUD and i love it! I won’t have a period for 5 years! I just had it put in in March of last year and will either go back to BC or get it replaced in 2017. It doesn’t work automatically. I got it in March and the last period i had was in September. So you have to keep in mind it can take a while before you start skipping.

keshia

I skipped my period when i was on birth control and it was great. The only thing is that once i got off my body tried to catch up with all the ones i missed and i started getting a period every two weeks which became very annoying.

Tara

I have done this many times with my BC pills. It is completely safe & super convenient.

jolei

intriguing, but there’s still the trouble of making sure it will be skipped the uncertainity is still there which basically makes it useless. spotting too.